Speed indicator for moving-picture machines



April 22 1924. 1,491,511

F. BONK. JR

SPEED INDIGATOR FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES 5, Filed April 18 1922 F1" ank Bunk Jr.

Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

FRANK BONK, an, or arrow, WISCONSIN.

, SPEED INDICATOR FOR MOVING-PICTURE MACHINES.

Application filed April is, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK BONK, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and resident of Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed Indicators for Moving-Picture Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and improved speed indicator which is more particularly adapted for use in connection with moving picture machines.

The machine to which my invention is applied is preferably driven thru the medium of a friction gear or other mechanism which may be adjusted to accurately control the speed at which the film travels.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device which will indicate accurately in minutes per thousand feet, the rate at which the film is traveling so that the operator may gage the production to terminate at the time desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide an indicator which may be attached to the machine in a position which will be out of the way of the operator and which may at the same time be adjusted so as to be readily observed at all times.

The invention consists further in certain structural features and combinations of parts which will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention connected with the shutter shaft of the machine, the view being taken on the line indicated by 11 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, with parts shown in section, taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing thenumeral 5 indicates the magazine of a moving picture machine in which is journalled the shaft 6 which carries the shutter 7 and is driven by any suitable driving means as indicated at 4. The indicator is preferably secured to the machine between the magazine and shutter, the same being secured to the magazine by means of a yoke 8. The indicator shaft 9 is journalled in the arms of the yoke and geared to the shutter shaft by the bevel gearing 10. A sleeve 11 is secured to the shaft 9 near its upper Serial No. 554,781.

end and a sleeve 12 is slidably secured on the shaft and connected with the upper sleeve by pairs of links 13 which are adapted to be moved outwardly by centrifugal force, thus raising the lower sleeve in proportion to the speed at which the machine is being operated. An arm 15' is adjustably pivoted to the upper branch of the yoke and may be adjusted in a horizontal plane about its pivot. A depending plate 16 is adjust ably pivoted to the outer end of the arm 15 and is provided with a scale 17 along side of which is a vertical slot 18. A collar 14 is journalled on the sleeve 12 and provided with suitable weights to act in opposition to the centrifugal force. The collar also has an indicating arm extending thru the slot 18 and cooperating with the scale 17 to indicate the number of minutes required to run off a thousand foot reel at the speed at which the machine is being operated.

It is to be noted that by having the arm 15 adjustably pivoted to the upper branch of the yoke, it is possible to swing the arm together with the supported scale or plate 16 into the most advantageous position for the operator. It is also to be noted that with each of the adjustments of this arm 15 it may be desirable to independently ad just the plate 16 so as to prevent binding between the pointer 19 and the slot 18 of the plate. This is readily accomplished as the plate 16 is itself independently pivotally mounted upon the arm 15 and may, therefore, be adjusted no matter what position the arm 15 occupies. It is also apparent that by the peculiar mounting of the arm 19, that is to say, supporting it by the lower sleeve 12 upon which it is journalled, such arm may be rotated about the axis of the shaft 9 to accommodate the adjustment of the arm 15 and plate 16. The counterbalancing of the arm is secured by making one of the weighted balls slightly larger than the other, as may be readily seen from Figure 1 of the drawing.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provideda convenient and practical device by means of which the operator can instantly determine the length of time which will be required to produce the picture at the speed at which he is operating the machine, and he can govern his speed accordingly. The indicator is located between the magazine and the shutter out of the way of the operating mechanism and the indicator plate so as to be in the best position to be viewed by the operator.

While I have shown and described what is at present the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that various modifications can be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

1 claim as my invention The combination with a horiozntal shaft and a casing in which the shaft is journaled, of a vertically disposed yoke secured to the casing above the shaft, an arm adjustably pivoted to the upper branch of the yoke to swing in a'horizontal plane, a vertically disposed plate depending from said arm and angularly adjustable thereon, said plate having a vertical slot therein and a scale ad jacent to said slot, a vertical indicator shaft journalled in said yoke and geared to the first mentioned shaft, an upper sleeve secured to the indicator shaft, a lower sleeve slidable on the indicator shaft, pairs of links connecting the sleeves and operable by centrifugal force to raise the lower sleeve and an indicator arm journaled on the lower sleeve and extending through the slot and cooperating with the scale to indicate the rate of rotation of the first mentioned shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto set my hand at Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin.

FRANK BUNK, J R. 

